US opioid addicts to receive more access to treatment drug

Access to new drugs that curtail addictions to opioids will be made more readily available to the American public, says US Secretary for health and human services Sylvia Burwell.

The drug, known as buprenorphine, along with two other drugs, can be used to treat those who are addicted to such substances as heroin, or even legal opioids such as codeine and morphine.

The new legislation raises the number of patients that can be prescribed buprenorphine to 275, having previously been at only 100 due to fears over misuse and street-selling.

The drug can be used to treat those who are addicted to such substances as heroin

“We have to turn the tide of this epidemic,” said Burwell, who made the announcement during a press call Tuesday.

The epidemic referred to by Burwell is that of drug addiction in the US, both to illegal drugs as well as prescription drugs.

2014 saw the highest number of drog overdoses in the country on record, and opioids were the cause of 60% of those.

“I’ve met too many parents who have lost a child to an overdose,” Burwell said.

The Secretary also said that she would attempt to put an end to a scheme in which hospitals receive payments according to how well patients believe they are being maintained.

“Some feel this may lead to pressure to prescribe opioids, so out of an abundance of caution we’re eliminating the connection between the hospital survey and payments by the [Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services],” she said.

“I’ve met too many parents who have lost a child to an overdose" Sylvia Burwell

The Medicaid and Medicare programmes only cater for those who perform well in the surveys, and may well lead to doctors having an incentive to prescribe the drugs.

Burwell is currently struggling to pass a law through the House of Representatives which would provide $920mn for states to provide more drug-based treatment, but it is being opposed by some Republicans in the chamber.

“The simple fact is changing the trends requires . . . significant resources,” Burwell said. “These funds would help make sure that every American with an opioid abuse disorder that wants treatment can get treatment.”